Injured Reserve in the new CBA

[Takeo]

Can anyone explain how it works? Is there a particular number of games you must miss or a particular time frame in which you must be inactive if placed on IR? I'm assuming salary still counts against the cap.

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[kdb209]

Can anyone explain how it works? Is there a particular number of games you must miss or a particular time frame in which you must be inactive if placed on IR? I'm assuming salary still counts against the cap.

24 days and 10 games minimum. The injured players salary still counts against the cap, but the replacement players do not (sort of).

From the CBA FAQ:

What will be the range of Club payrolls?

The payroll range in Year One (2005-06) of the CBA will be $21.5 million (U.S.) at the lower limit and $39 million (U.S.) at the upper limit. A Club's payroll will include all salaries, signing bonuses and performance bonuses paid to players. Except in the case of bona fide long-term injury (injuries that sideline a player for a minimum of 24 days and 10 games) to one or more of a club's players, Club payrolls will never be permitted to be below the minimum or in excess of the maximum. Clubs at or near the upper limit that have players who incur a bona fide long-term injury will be entitled to replace up to the full value of the injured player's NHL salary (even if such salary would result in the club's team salary exceeding the upper limit). The "replacement salary" will not count against the club's upper limit but will count against the League-wide players' share. Upon return of the injured player, the team must come into immediate compliance with the requirements of the payroll range.

Postings of Article 50, covering injuries and the cap, have appeared on some blogs, and it appears that the replacement salary issue is a bit complicated. My reading of the article is that first the replacement salary uses up all available cap space, and then may exceed the cap by up to the salary of the IR player. So, it isn't as simple as "the replacement player salary doesn't count".

 

[SJeasy]

There is an additional thing about IR which I think is 7 days based on S. Parker's IR status with Sharks placed on 9/30 and eligible to return 10/7. I suspect this is only to do with roster size not cap.

 

[kdb209]

There is an additional thing about IR which I think is 7 days based on S. Parker's IR status with Sharks placed on 9/30 and eligible to return 10/7. I suspect this is only to do with roster size not cap.

I agree - opens a roster spot but no impact on the cap.

This is pretty much the Injured Reserve List from the old CBA:

16.10. Injured Reserve List.

a. The Injured Reserve List is a category of the Reserve List. A Club may place a player on Injured Reserve only if such player is injured or disabled and unable to perform his duties as a hockey player by reason of an injury sustained during the course of his employment as a hockey player, including travel with his team or on business requested by the Club, after having passed the Club's initial physical examination in that season. If a player fails the Club's initial physical examination in any Season, he is not eligible for Injured Reserve.

b. Players on Injured Reserve may attend team meetings, travel with the Club (at the Club's option) and participate in practice sessions with other players on the Club's Playing Roster. Players on Injured Reserve are prohibited from appearing in games, participating in pre-game warm-ups with their Clubs, or dressing in game uniforms on game days.

c. A player who has an injury that renders him physically unable to play hockey for a minimum of seven (7) days after the date of injury can be placed on the Injured Reserve List. Once a player is placed on the Injured Reserve List, the Club may replace said player on it's NHL roster with another player.

d. All determinations that a player has suffered a major injury must be made by the Club's medical staff and in accordance with the Club's medical standards. Such prognosis must be documented by a verification signed by the Club physician and countersigned by a working Club executive and the Player. This form must be filed in the League Office and a copy sent to the NHLPA within two (2) days after the date the player is officially added to the Injured Reserve List; if not, the Club shall be fined.

e. The Commissioner may take whatever steps he deems necessary to investigate Injured Reserve cases. In the event that he has reason to believe that they have not been handled properly by the involved Club, or if he determines that the Club has used the Injured Reserve List to evade the playing roster limit, he may take such disciplinary action against the Club as he deems appropriate.

f. A player placed on the Injured Reserve List will be ineligible to compete in NHL games for a period of not less than seven (7) days from the date of injury. A player will be eligible for activation beginning the 8th day following the date of injury or any day thereafter the player receives medical clearance to play.

The more I see evidence of terms from the new CBA, with the obvious exception of the cap issues and specificly noted areas of change (FA status, callup waivers etc), they look more and more like the terms of the old CBA, Some quoted sections were pretty much verbatim from the old.

On the whole, I think there is a lot more the same under the new CBA than different.

As a rule of thumb, I've taken the position that until I see evidence that something is handled differently under the new CBA, the basic terms and rules of the old one are still pretty much applicable. I've seen very few cases where this has not held true.